Ever wondered what it’s like to work behind the scenes at one of Australia’s most iconic performing arts institutions? For second-year Bachelor of Arts student Emily, it’s been an unforgettable part of her uni experience.
Studying a major in Classics and a minor in History, Emily is currently completing a 13-week placement with The Australian Ballet in their Archives and Records department, located in Melbourne’s CBD.
“I’ve been keeping an eye out for placement opportunities that would allow me to gain hands-on, industry experience in a real archival setting,” Emily says.
“I love working with historical materials and this placement felt like the perfect way to bridge my academic interests with practical experience while also contributing meaningfully to The Australian Ballet’s legacy.”
Through La Trobe’s University-sourced Industry Placement elective, Emily is one of two students placed with The Australian Ballet this semester – one in Archives and one in Public Affairs. La Trobe has partnered directly with The Australian Ballet to open up more professional pathway opportunities for students across a range of disciplines.
Emily spends every Thursday working 9–5 with the Ballet’s archives team, where she’s been contributing to a major digitisation project in partnership with CHANEL.
The placement has also helped Emily shape her future career goals.
“I’m keeping my options open but I’m really interested in working as an archivist, in research or potentially in academia. This placement is giving me invaluable insight into the kind of work involved in those roles and helping me build the practical skills and professional awareness that I’ll need to move forward.”
It’s made me more confident in my career direction.
Balancing study, part-time work and the weekly placement has had its challenges, but Emily says the experience has been worth it.
“Going to placement every Thursday has honestly been the highlight of my week. I feel really grateful for the opportunity.”
Her advice to other students considering a placement like this?
“Go for it! If you’re passionate about history, archives or working with cultural collections, this is a unique opportunity to gain real experience. Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of technical knowledge going in – be curious, ask questions and be willing to learn. You’ll get so much out of it.”
To learn more La Trobe’s Industry Placements and to get involved, visit the website: